First Responders

Activist Charged With Attempted Murder of Police Officers During Portland Riots

April 6, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
Portland riots arrest of Malik Muhammed

Malik Muhammed, 24, faces attempted murder charges after the Portland Police Bureau said he threw firebombs at officers during the 2020 riots. He was arrested on April 2, 2021 in Indianapolis. Background photo courtesy PPB, mugshot courtesy of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

An Indianapolis man has been arrested on eight warrants out of Oregon, where police say he threw firebombs at officers and broke windows during riots last year in Portland.


FBI agents and Indianapolis police officers arrested Malik Muhammed, 24, Friday. He awaits extradition to Oregon on charges that include three counts of attempted murder, unlawful manufacture of a destructive device, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in public, according to the Portland Police Bureau.


Muhammed allegedly threw a firebomb that scorched a police officer’s uniform Sept. 23, 2020, in Portland.



Police claim he also threw an “incendiary device” that failed to ignite at police officers two days prior. Muhammed was not arrested during either of those demonstrations. However, he was arrested in October 2020 after Portland police said he had caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to windows in downtown Portland, including at the Oregon Historical Society, during a destructive protest that activists called the “Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage.”


Muhammed has also been active in the Indianapolis protest scene. According to reporting from The Indianapolis Star, he organized peaceful marches last summer and was criticized after hugging an officer during one march.


Read Next: Citing Inadequate Resources, Portland Police Watched as Right- and Left-Wing Demonstrators Clashed, Rioted



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
navy seal training
Navy SEALS Training Plagued by Massive Problems, According To Investigation

Medical oversight and care were “poorly organized, poorly integrated and poorly led and put candidat...

memorial day arlington
Memorial Day Is a Day of Remembrance, Not Celebration

Memorial Day was created as a remembrance to honor the fallen by decorating graves — a holiday meant...

air force joint chiefs
Air Force Fighter Pilot Tapped As Next Joint Chiefs Chairman Has History of Firsts

The Air Force fighter pilot about to be nominated as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ...

sowf special operations warrior foundation
BRCC Donates $500K to Special Operations Warrior Foundation

In an effort to continue Black Rifle Coffee Company’s mission of supporting the veteran community, B...

Coca Cola 600
BRCC to Honor Fallen Marine During NASCAR’s Legendary Coca-Cola 600

Black Rifle Coffee Company will honor Marine Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Menusa during NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 this Memorial Day. Menusa was killed in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq.

uss gerald r. ford oslo
US Aircraft Carrier Arrives In NATO Member Norway, To Take Part In Drills

The nuclear-powered ship USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Oslo fjord escorted by a rapid dinghy-type boat with armed personnel on board.

adam driver indy 500
Marine Vet, Actor Adam Driver Named Honorary Starter for Indianapolis 500

Two-time Academy Award nominee Adam Driver, who will soon be starring as Enzo Ferrari in a biopic of...

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved